Sir Thomas Playford KCMG (July 5 1896 – 16 June 1981) served as Premier of South Australia from November 5 1938 to March 10 1965, which at 26 years and 125 days, remains a British Commonwealth record for the longest time someone has served as a democratically elected national or regional leader. His tenure as Premier was marked by a period of unprecedented population and economic growth that was not matched by any other Australian states. Playford took a unique, strong and hands-on approach to the Premiership and personally oversaw his industrial iniatives. His string of election wins were assisted by a system of malapportionment that bore his name.
Born into an old political family, Playford was the fifth Thomas Playford and the fourth to have lived in South Australia. His great-grandfather, Thomas Playford I, had emigrated in 1944 and started a new non-denominational Church; his grandfather had twice been Premier of South Australia, a member of the Australian Senate and the Federal Minister for Defence; and his father had a short stint on the East Torrens District Council.
Playford was born in 1896 at the family home in Norton Summit, a small town in the hills overlooking Adelaide. He left school at 15 to assist his father on the farm and then volunteered for the Army and served at Gallipoli in World War I. He was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly in 1932 as a member of the Liberal and Country League and with the resignation of Richard Layton Butler in 1938 he became Premier. When his government was finally defeated in the 1965 election he relinquished the LCL leadership to Steele Hall and retired at the next election. He served on various South Australian boards until his death in 1981.
Family
The Playford family heritage can only be traced back so far as 1759, when a baby boy was left at the door of a house in Barnby Dun, Yorkshire, England, with a note to christen the child 'Thomas Playford'. The occupants of the house, who were to raise the child, were given instructions to receive money from a bank account for the deed.[1] The child grew up to be a simple farmer in the village. The son of this first Playford was born in 1795, and was also christened, simply, 'Thomas Playford'. The tradition of naming the first born son in the family in this way has continued since.
The second Playford was to become something of a loner, but at the age of 15 he developed a relationship with a girl five years his senior and the outcome was a baby. In order to avoid the social stigma of the situation, and on the advice of his parents, Playford enlisted in the British Army in 1810. While three years under the acceptable age, Playford's size (6" 2") enabled him to pass off as eighteen.[2] He spent 24 years in the service of the Light Guards, fighting all over the European continent in Portugal, Spain and France. He fought in the Battle of Waterloo at the age of 20.
While a soldier, Playford became a devout Christian, rejected the idea of atheism, and journeyed and listened to many different churches and sermons. However, he was sceptical of many pastors and church men, dismissing their "high sounding barren words".[3] He left the Life Guards in 1834, received a land grant in Canada for his service, and journeyed there with his wife and family. His wife and a child died in the country, so he and his remaining kin returned to England. He worked as a historian for the Life Guards until 1844 when he migrated to the then-colony of South Australia. Playford became a pastor there, built a property at Mitcham, and preached regularly for his own 'Christian Church', which was essentially Baptist in character.[4]
The third Playford, Thomas Playford II, was born at Bethnal Green, London in 1837 to the second wife of Pastor Playford. He was brought up on the Mitcham property in South Australia, was intellectual and bookminded, and wished to go the prestigious St Peter's College to study law. He was rebuked by his father and subsequently became a farmer like his predecessors, buying property at Norton Summit and growing vegetables, plums and apples.[5] He was elected to the local East Torrens Council in 1863 at the age of 27; and then to the State Parliament in 1868 as a 'liberal' (parties were not yet in existence), representing the constituency of Onkaparinga. He became known as 'Honest Tom' for his straightforward and blunt ways. He would loose his seat in 1871 and return in 1875 only to loose it again. He became Premier (the position then termed 'Prime Minister') of South Australia when he regained his seat in 1887. He lost the Premiership in 1889, regained it in 1890, and then spent a great deal of his term absent, in India. After losing an election, he relocated to London to represent South Australia in England as Agent General. While in England, Playford was three times offered a knighthood, and declined it every time.[6]
He returned to South Australia to assist Charles Kingston in his government, but ultimately crossed the floor to bring down Kingston over his plans to lessen the power of the Legislative Council. With the advent of Australian Federation, Playford proposed the name 'Commonwealth of Australia', and became a Senator for South Australia. He was leader of the Senate and the 7th Minister of Defence. After one term as a Senator, Playford was defeated. He ran again in 1910, was unsuccessful, and retired to Kent Town, where he died in 1915 at the age of 78.[7]
The fourth Playford, father of Sir Thomas, was born in 1861. Unlike his own father and grandfather, who had led lives as soliders, church men and politicans, he became a simple farmer at the Norton Summit property and was dominated by his wife, Elizabeth. He was, like his forebears, a regular churchgoer, and only once was involved in politics with a short stint on the East Torrens District Council. In comparison, Elizabeth was the local correspondent of the The Advertiser, treasurer and chief member of the local Baptist Church, and a teacher. Four children was born to the couple; three daughters and one son, Sir Thomas.[8]
Early life
Thomas Playford was the third child born to the family, with two sisters before him and one following. He started school at the age of six, going to the local Norton Summit School. The school had one room, one teacher, two assistants, 60 students and taught children aged six to twelve. Playford, while an adept learner, frequently argued with his teacher, and was the first child to have been caned there.[9] While learning, he accompanied his father down to the East End Markets with their farming produce. Playford would late dub the East End Markets his 'university', due to the work that he carried out there.
His father suffered a fall and a broken leg when Playford was thirteen. He requested permission to leave school and take over the family farm; this was granted, and the boy, even after his father had recovered, dominated the management of the farm.[10] While out of school, Playford continued to learn. He joined the local Norton Summit Society, and took part in classes and debates in Adelaide. He won a public speaking award for a speech he made to an Adelaide literary society.[11]
World War I broke out in 1914 and Playford wished to join the AIF. His parents persuaded him to assist them on the farm until close to his 19th birthday. He entered Keswick Barracks on May 17, 1915 and was placed in the 27th Battalion.[12] The news of the bloody landings at Gallipoli had not reached Adelaide by the time Playford left on HMAT Geelong on May 31. The Geelong picked up more soldiers at Perth, and then sailed to Suez, Egypt.[13]
The Australian soldiers received training in Egypt, but during the evenings left their camps to induldge themselves in the Egyptian towns and cities. Frequent fights broke out between the Australian troops and the natives, with resposible soldiers left to take the rest back to camp. Playford assisted in this and dragged Australian soldiers from the beds of Egyptian prostitues.[14] Training was completed after two months and the soldiers then landed at Anzac Cove on September 12, 1915.
After taking part in the Gallipoli campaign, Playford and his battalion left for France on March 15, 1916. He fought on the western front and was shot and wounded on October 20, evacuated to London, and kept out of action for a year. Playford endured many operations during this time to remove the shrapnel that had penetrated his body; some of it remained within him, and his hearing was permanently damaged. Turning down an offer for a staff job in India, Playford returned to his battalion in October 1917 and continued fighting in Belgium and France.[15]
With the end of the Great War, Playford returned to South Australia with his battalion, disembarking at Outer Harbor, Adelaide on July 2, 1919. He brought back no decorations for bravery, but had nonetheless attained the rank of Officer by the time he was honorably discharged in October. Despite Playford's intellectural capability, he shunned the government's offer of free university education for returned soldiers and returned to his orchard. He continued growing cherries on the property, and engaged in his hobby of horticulture. His involvement in various organisations and clubs was renewed.
Through relatives Playford met his wife to be, Lorna Clark, who lived with her family in Nailsworth. Although both families were religiously devout, the Clarks were even more so than the Playfords; it was a long courtship. Taking her out on his Harley Davidson motorcycle at night, the two were forced to leave the theatre half-way through performances so as to not raise the ire of the Clarks. Before their wedding on January 1, 1928, they were engaged for three years. Leading up to their marriage, Playford built their new house on his property. Mostly built by his own hands and indented in the hills themselves, it remained their home throughout their marriage.[16]
Two years later, on Christmas Day, 1930, the family's first daughter was born, Patricia. Two more children were born to the family; Margaret in 1936, and Thomas in 1945. All three of them attended private schools. Patricia attended the Presbyterian Girls College, becoming a teacher; and Margaret attended Methodist Ladies college, training as a child psychiatrist. The sixth Thomas wanted to attend university, but, like a Playford before him, was rebuked and worked on the orchard. And again like a Playford before him, he became a minister of religion in his later life.[17]
Ascendence to office
Among the organisations that Playford belonged to was the local branch of the Liberal Federation, yet until the months preceding his eventual election, he never talked of holding political office. The Liberal Federation was considering a merger with the Country Party to avoid Labor retaining office during the Great Depression. Archie Cameron, an old wartime friend of Playford's and a representative of the Country Party, influenced Playford to run for office when he heard of the merger. In 1932 the Liberal and Country League (LCL) was created, and Playford ran for the multi-member constituency of Murray in the election of 1933.
Along with the other LCL hopefuls, Playford journeyed around the electorate advocating his platform. The constituency had a considerable German element, descendants of refugees who had escaped persecution in the German Empire. Grateful for the past help of Playford's grandfather, they swung their strong support behind him and he was comfortably elected to the South Australian House of Assembly. With a split in the Labor vote, the first LCL government was formed with Richard Layton Butler as Premier.
For the next five years Playford was to remain a backbencher, and to involve himself relatively little in government matters. His speeches were short, but to the point, and, running against the norm, he often attacked the government itself when he saw fit. Around Playford, much activity was occuring. Legislation provided for the tools that he was to inherit later as Premier: aggressive economic iniatives, a malapportioned electoral system and a staid internal party organisation.
The creation of the LCL was dependent on the implementation of various policies to ensure the strength of the party's country faction. There had been an electoral bias in favour of rural areas since the Constitution Act of 1857, but it was now to dramatically increase. In 1936, legislation was brought in that stipulated that electoral districts were to be malapportioned to a ratio of at least 2:1 in favour of country areas. In addition, the number of seats was reduced to 39 (from 46), and multi-member districts were abolished. The desired long-term effect was to lock the opposition Labor Party out of power; the unexpected short-term effect was a large number of dissatisfied rural independents in the March 1938 election. Although he played no part in its development or implementation, the electoral system was later christened the 'Playmander', as a result of its benefit to Playford.[18]
Playford entered the cabinet in March 1938 as the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and held portfolios in Irrigation and Repatriation. He spent little time as a minister before becoming Premier; Butler abandoned the Premiership in November to seek election for the recently-vacated Australian House of Representatives Division of Wakefield. Elected unanimously by his peers, Playford became the 33rd Premier of South Australia.[19]
Wartime development
Playford became a wartime Premier in 1939 when Australia, as part of the British Empire, became embroiled in World War II. Later in the war, cut off from traditional suppliers of manufactures, the country was forced to create its own. Arnaments and munitions factories needed to be created to supply the war effort, and Playford was voiciferous in advocating South Australia as the perfect ___location for these. It was far from the battlegrounds and had the most efficient labour force in the nation. Ammunition factories were built in the northern and western suburbs of Adelaide, and construction on a shipyard began in Whyalla.
Salisbury, then a dormitory town to the north of Adelaide, became a defence centre; the shipyards at Whyalla began launching corvettes in 1941 just as Japan entered the war. All of these developments were done under Playford's watch, with most of the factories being built by the Department of Manpower and the South Australian Housing Trust.[20]
In order for these developments to occur, Playford personally had to attend to the bureaucracy that stood in the way. He confronted obstinate public service workers, and successfully negotiated with the heads of private companies. But it was negotations with the Federal Government that were to prove the hardest. In his time as Premier, Playford was to confront seven different Prime Ministers: Lyons, Page, Menzies, Fadden, Curtin, Forde and Chifley. Strangely, he enjoyed best relations with the Laborite Chifley, and had a poor rapport with his fellow conservative, Menzies. During the wartime years, Menzies' reluctance to meet with Playford initially hampered industrial efforts, but Playford's other federal colleagues made sure that deals could be made.[21]
During the war, two state elections were held, in 1941 and 1944. In the 1941 election, there was a significant decrease in the independent vote, and both the Labor Party and the LCL made gains, with Playford forming the LCL's first majority government. In 1942, compulsory voting (but not enrolment) was introduced, yet it made no significant difference to the election result of 1944, despite an increase in voter turnout from 50% to 80%. Again Playford won, but with a one-seat majority, down one from 1941.[22]
Power and water schemes were expanded to be able to cope with the industrial development occuring. South Australia's near-monopoly electricity supplier, the Adelaide Electricity Supply Company (AESC), was reluctant to build up coal reserves in case of a transportation problem. They ran on coal that was shipped over from New South Wales (NSW), where the mines were inefficient and plagued by communist-agitated industrial strife. Playford demanded that supplies be built up so the factories could keep producing; he managed to secure eight months worth of coal reserves from NSW, but even that began to dwindle due to the continued industrial action. Coal supplies were ordered from South Africa in desperation, at Playford's behest. The frustration he experienced while dealing with the AESC would later prove disasterous to the company as the Premier took action against them.[23]
Industrialisation
The AESC continued to snub the government. Playford advocated the use of brown coal from the South Australian Leigh Creek mine to avoid supply complications, and even made into law a bill encouraging its use. Shortly afterwards, the AESC responded by buying new boilers which would not be able to process that type of coal, only the more productive black coal. With more conflicts ensuing, and even with the company slowly relenting, Playford did not stop his struggle. A Royal Commission in March 1945 was appointed to acertain a solution between the two parties, and presented its report in August with a recommendation that the AESC be nationalised. By then at the head of the only conservative government in the nation, when Playford requested commonwealth funds to assist in the nationalisation of the AESC Prime Minister Chifley responed with glee and enthusiasm. On October 11, he presented a bill to Parliament to nationalise the AESC and create the Electricity Trust of South Australia.[24]
Labor, astonished that such an action was to come from a Liberal Premier, resolutely supported the bill, guaranteeing it passage through the House of Assembly. However, the Legislative Council was dominated by economic conservatives, fierce adherents of free enterprise and opponents of what they considered to be undue government intervention in the economy. In the Council, where suffrage was reliant upon wage and property requirements, the ALP only held four seats out of twenty, and only five LCL members supported the nationalisation. Thus, on November 7, the bill failed to pass and it was not put to the Parliament again until 1946. On April 6, after months of campaigning on Playford's part, he managed to change the mind of MLC Jack Bice, and the bill passed. The Electricity Trust of South Australia was formed, and was to become a major aid to postwar industrialisation.[25]
During the postwar boom, the methods used to set up business in South Australia were unique. Playford's government would charge little to no business tax, supply cheap electricity, land and water, and have the Housing Trust build the factories and workers' homes. Consumer goods and automotive factories were created in the northern and western suburbs of Adelaide; mining, steel and shipbuilding industries appeared in the 'Iron Triangle' towns of Whyalla, Port Pirie and Port Augusta. Prices and wages were kept relatively low to enable continued investment. The government iniatives managed to overcome the large logistic burden, as Adelaide and South Australia were far from the markets where the goods would be sold.[26]
Many of the methods that Playford used were described by economic conservatives as 'socialism'. The unique economic intervention earned Playford scorn from his own colleagues, but the Labor movement was much more receptive. Indeed, Labor leader Mick O'Halloran would dine with Playford on a weekly basis to discuss the development of the state. At a dinner party, O'Halloran remarked that "I wouldn't want to Premier even If I could be. Tom Playford can often do more for my own voters than I could if I were in his shoes."[27] This cooperative nature of party politics would not change until Don Dunstan's prominence in the late 1950s, when Playford would be assailed not for his economics, but for his government's comparatively low expenditure on public services such as education and healthcare.
Large projects were commenced. The city of Elizabeth was built by the Housing Trust in Adelaide's north, for the production of GM Holden motor vehicles. Populated mainly by working class English migrants, it was, before its eventual economic and social decline, a model for city planning. These ventures, despite being built by the public sector, were not done in opposition to private enterprise; mainline roads and railways would be built and modified to the wishes and needs of business. Main North Road, for example, had its alignment changed at the request of industry.
When Playford left office in 1965, South Australia's population had doubled from 600,000 in the late 1930s to 1.1 million, the highest proportionate rate among the states. The economy had done likewise, and personal wealth had increased at the same rate, second only to Victoria.[28]
Don Dunstan
In 1953, the young lawyer, Don Dunstan, was elected to the House of Assembly as the Labor member for Norwood, ousting the LCL incumbent. Playford had landed unexpectedly in his role as the undisputed leader of his party, while Dunstan was, from the start of his parliamentary career, a standout among his own ranks. Dunstan had proved himself an excellent orator in parliament, and had gained notoriety as the loudest opposition voice against the death penalty being imposed upon Max Stuart, an Aborigine convincted for the rape and murder of a child. Dunstan and Playford were each others' principle antagonists.
Playford, used to cooperating with Labor leaders more than attacking them, sensed Dunstan's promise, and predicting that one day Dunstan would be at the helm, attempted to establish bonds. So, after a late session of parliament at night, Playford would give Dunstan a lift home in his car. As Dunstan's home was situated on George Street, Norwood, it was only a small deviance from Playford's normal route to his home in Norton Summit. The topics that the two discussed were not ever completely revealed, yet Playford, according to Dunstan, would talk to him in a paternalistic and fatherly manner. The two built up somewhat of a relationship and developed a respect for each other, but due to the strength of their respective views, did not establish the same type of bond that Playford had with earlier Laborites.[29]
To face an opposition that was becoming uncooperative was not what Playford has expected, or could satisfactorily handle. Before the effect Dunstan had on Parliament, Playford would meet with Labor leaders to discuss bills, and ensure bipartisan support in the House of Assembly for them; there was little disagreeance on matters. The belligerents were previously only rural indepedent members.[30]
Even while the economic boom continued, the LCL vote gradually declined from 1950, and it relied on favourable preferences from minor parties and independents and the malapportioned electoral system in order to win. It did, however, win all elections, barring 1953, on a two-party-preferred basis until 1962.[31] Labor had begun to combat the Playmander by directing its efforts at individual seats, and abandoning a statewide campaign. Slowly, seats began to whittle away: Norwood was won in 1953; West Torrens, Murray, Miilicent and Frome in 1956; and Mt Gambier and Wallaroo in 1957-8 by-elections. Playford's dominance over the party and his ignorance of the wishes of its broad membership base brought about a degree of disillusionment, and the party machine began to decay.[32]
Fall from power
Retirement
References
- Blewett, Neal (1971). Playford to Dunstan: The Politics of Transition. Griffin Press Limited. ISBN 0-7015-1299-7.
- Crocker, Walter (1983). Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 0-522-84250-X.
- Jaensch, Dean (1986). The Flinders History of South Australia: Political History. Wakefield Press. ISBN 0-9492-6852-5.
- Cockburn, Stewart (1991). Playford: Benevolent Despot. Axiom Publishing. ISBN 0-9594-1644-7.
Notes
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 7–9.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 10.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 15.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 17.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 18–21.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 22–23.
- ^ Playford, Thomas. Australian Dictionary of Biography. Accessed 25-11-2006.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 24–30.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 27–35.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 39.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 41.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 43.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 44–46.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 47.
- ^ Crocker, Walter. Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. p. 22.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 57–59.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 62.
- ^ Jaensch, Dean. The Flinders History of South Australia: Political History. pp. 260–261.
- ^ Crocker, Walter. Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. pp. 32–34.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 84–87.
- ^ Crocker, Walter. Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. pp. 44–45.
- ^ Jaensch, Dean. The Flinders History of South Australia: Poltiical History. pp. 248–249.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 105.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 117.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 125.
- ^ Jeansch, Dean. The Flinders History of South Australia: Political History. pp. 250–251.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. p. 218.
- ^ Crocker, Walter. Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. p. 38.
- ^ Cockburn, Stewart. Playford: Benevolent Despot. pp. 316–317.
- ^ Crocker, Walter. Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. pp. 98–99.
- ^ Past Elections, Australian Broadcasting Corporation Accessed January 03 2007
- ^ Blewett, Neal. Playford to Dunstan: The Politics of Transition. pp. 30–31.